What Security Benefits Will Android See with Blackberry Using Their OS?

BlackBerry has always been one of the paramount manufacturers for private and secure mobile solutions. It recently claimed on its official blog that it was the first one to come up with fastened email and applications on mobile devices. Now, in the latest move, it has teamed up with Google Android for the BlackBerry PRIV smartphone. Nevertheless, the company still wants its users to feel as safe and secure as they used to on the BB platform.

To narrow it down, BlackBerry is teaming up with a platform whose security is not really top notch. So BlackBerry is trying to customise it to their standards which rest on the principles of providing all-round security and privacy to its users. Let’s take a look at what BlackBerry PRIV is going to bring to Android’s platform. The company has integrated its “world-renowned” security model to Android, and it includes the following features.

BlackBerry Hardware Root of Trust and Hardened Linux Kernel

With its hardware root of trust, which is a one-of-a-kind manufacturing process that inserts cryptographic keys into the smartphone’s hardware, it gives a secure substructure to the complete platform. In addition, a hardened Linux kernel cou pled with various security patches and configuration makes security tighter. It means that BlackBerry has overhauled Android’s privacy and security capabilities to make it appropriate for privacy protection. In one of its moves, the company has brought its “patented picture-login” to its PRIV. The picture login is going to strengthen and simplify the smartphone authentication scheme.

Blackberry supports a variety of communication services which are based on providing top end security. These services include WatchDox private file sharing, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), and SecureSuite for classified voice calls. Earlier, Blackberry had also touted that none of its software is “backdoored.” It also claimed that all of its cryptography schemes come certified with BlackBerry Certicom. We don’t really know whether such services rearly provide as much security as they claim. Frankly, it is easier to make such declarations about “cryptography,” but substantiating that code is bug-free and not a cakewalk.

Verified Boot and Secure Bootchain and FIPS 140-2 Encryption

The Verified Boot and Secure Bootchain is a process that employs embedded keys for verifying each layer of the smartphone’s hardware. It is not just limited to hardware authentication. It also checks the operating system and applications to make sure they are in their original form and security is not compromised. On the other hand, the FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption is enabled on the device by default so that there is no loophole in the device’s security.

BlackBerry Infrastructure and Enterprise Server (BES12)

Yes, you read that right, BlackBerry is also bringing its niche BB Infrastructure to Android. Its infrastructure is distributed globally through a network that transfers petabytes of encrypted data. This data is transferred to and from the world’s most powerful bureaucrats and professionals. However, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES12) is the premium and leading Enterprise Mobility Management platform that is used by the world’s most powerful corporations and organisations. Such infrastructure somewhat guarantees a high level of security to a device. BlackBerry has always been the top choice for influential organisations and people as it keeps the data private and secure.

Seamless Integration with Android For Work and BlackBerry DTEK

BlackBerry has a successful integration with Android for Work. In its BlackBerry PRIV, one can easily make seamless use of the app. To sum it up, BlackBerry lets you keep the gap between personal-professional data and applications. The personal space enables users to keep their app downloads personal in order to maintain privacy. On the other hand, the work space allows enterprises to keep their corporate data safe and secure.

BlackBerry DTEK is an application that monitors a device’s activity. It informs users as to what apps have accessed the personal data, data received by your device and its location, and also what data has been sent from the device.

Conclusion

BlackBerry does enjoy the goodwill on being safe and secure, but there are loopholes too. We believe that the company should not make outright claims about privacy, as this is the first time that it is joining with another OS. Nonetheless, BlackBerry’s decision to come together with Android is late but a welcoming move for sure. With all the information given above, we do agree that BlackBerry is indeed trying to go the extra mile in making Android more secure. However, we would like to see worthy hardware changes, too, wouldn’t we?